Third Grade is Too Late to Assess Student Literacy
A recent article highlights the potential benefits of implementing early phonics checks for young students in the United States, inspired by successful practices in England. In England, a phonics check has been mandatory for six-year-olds since 2012. This low-stakes assessment measures children’s ability to decode simple words, a foundational reading skill, by having them read a mix of real and nonsense words aloud. Students who fail the test retake it the following year, and the results are shared with parents and education officials.
England’s phonics check has led to significant improvements in literacy outcomes. The percentage of children passing the test on their first attempt rose from 58% in 2012 to 82% in 2019. The check has also contributed to England’s gains in international assessments like PIRLS, where fourth-grade reading scores increased by six points from 2011 to 2021, outperforming countries like France and Finland, which experienced declines during the same period.
In contrast, the United States begins federally mandated reading assessments in third grade, often too late to catch emerging literacy issues. Unlike England’s focused phonics check, U.S. assessments evaluate a broader range of reading skills, often intertwined with background knowledge. Early phonics checks could provide a more targeted and timely measure of whether students are mastering decoding, a critical skill for reading success.
Currently, only sixteen U.S. states have adopted universal screening tests for early literacy in kindergarten through second grade, and just nine require notifying parents of reading deficiencies. Advocates suggest that a phonics check at the state or national level could set clearer benchmarks, ensure consistency, and emphasize the importance of teaching all students to decode effectively.
An early phonics check would allow educators to identify and address reading challenges before they escalate, ensuring that children are not left to struggle with literacy gaps as they progress through school.